Stay-Safer: An IoT-Based On-Demand Monitoring System for Elderly Assistance
摘要
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths around the globe, with adults over 65 experiencing the highest incidence. According to the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) 2020, around 15 million elderly people in India live alone, the majority having limited mobility/movement or chronic health problems. Studies have shown that approximately 40% of elderly Indians report experiencing at least one fall annually, where the injuries often leave them with long-term disabilities and sometimes reduced lifespan. This chapter addresses the need for a responsive safety system for elder users, with Stay-Safer having a combination of various features. The Stay-Safer is an innovative and all-inclusive assistive tracking system combining a wearable device with a mobile application, meant for the safety of vulnerable groups of people, especially focusing on elderly people or senior citizens. Many elderly people can feel unwell in or outside the home due to many different situations and require proper assistance. Living in a world with increasing rates of crimes against the weak and health issues faced by older adults calls for attention to personal safety and security. Stay-Safer, equipped with GPS, motion, and audio sensors, along with machine learning (ML) algorithms, aims to enhance safety by detecting emergencies and assisting in due time without requiring user intervention. The primary goal of the project being discussed in the chapter is to create a safer community by automating the detection of risks and emergencies faced by elderly people in various scenarios, as elderly individuals face several safety challenges, ranging from mobility issues and falls to isolation and sudden medical emergencies.